Boxers who wrestled

I think we did a thread like this some years back....
but it's always interesting.

So let me start:
MC Paul Barman - wrestled in grade,middle and high school.
Took up boxing in college and got whooped by two puerto rican kids and ditched his dreams to become a professional boxer.... but now is an avid fan.

Okay, okay.....

O'Neil Bell - Cruiser weight boxer who was a state wrestling champion in high school. Had scholarship offers for colleges.

Mormeck clocking Bell - apparently for taking up boxing too late. Mormeck was offended that wrestling held Bell's affections for as long as it did:

Wrestling-
At Perry High School in Oklahoma, Hodge won the 165-pound title at the state tournament in 1951. As a collegiate wrestler for the University of Oklahoma, Hodge was undefeated at 46-0, with 36 pins. He was a three-time Big Seven conference champ at 177 pounds (1955-1957), and won the 177-pound title at the NCAA championships those same three years, pinning all three of his finals opponents. (Hodge is only one of two three-time NCAA Division I champs to have done that, the other being Oklahoma State Earl McCready in 1928-1930.) Hodge never taken down from a standing position while in college. He is the only amateur wrestler to be on the cover of Sports Illustrated as an amateur wrestler. He worked as a professional wrestler for eighteen years, and was a 5-time USA Tag Team Champion, with Skandor Akbar, among others.

His reputation as a high school wrestler preceded him when he joined the US Navy in 1951. At Ames, Iowa, in April 1952, Hodge survived the US Olympic Trials, and was coached by Naval Academy Instructor Ray Swartz in the 174-pound division. At the Helsinki Olympics, Hodge was defeated by USSR's David Cimakuridze. Going into May 1956 wrestling trials for US Olympic team, Hodge was middleweight favourite. He was eliminated on May 2 by William Smith. Smith was embroiled in controversy with the Central AAU and Hodge was his substitute. [1] After two Olympics appearances, Hodge placed 5th in 1952, and won the Silver Medal in 1956, in Melbourne, Australia.

The Dan Hodge Trophy, named after him, is the amateur wrestling equivalent of the Heisman Trophy

Boxing-
Danny won the 1958 Chicago Golden Gloves at Heavyweight, then won a Chicago-NY Intercity bout in October, beating Charley Hood. He finished his amateur career with 17 wins, no losses and 12 KO's. Convinced by boxing manager Art Freeman that he was a better prospect than Rocky Marciano, Hodge decided to become a professional boxer rather than pursue the opportunity to compete as a boxer and a wrestler at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Italy. In his professional boxing debut, he scored a first-round knockout victory over Norm Jackson. As a professional, he had a reported record of 8-2, although only 7 wins have been documented. He retired on July 9, 1959.

&#8220;Too many amateur instructors have forgotten entirely that the purpose of boxing lessons is to teach a fellow to defend himself with his fists; not to point him toward amateur or professional competition with boxing gloves. To a menacing extent the major purpose of fistic instruction has been bypassed by amateur tutors who try to benefit themselves financially, indirectly or directly, by producing punchless performers who can win amateur or professional bouts on points. - Jack Dempsey, Championship Fighting"

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This send chills like a forboding premonition Damn even the Name of the Book rings a bell

to slightly defend paulie...he has really bad hands which is why he fought the way he fought and in a way acts the way he acts...there's no draw in a speedy slickster with no power and no personality lol

Venroy July - Upcoming Cruiserweight was New England Champion then wrestled at UNC
Mark Brown - Recently retired Heavyweight was NJ state Champ
O'neal Bell and Kelvin Davis were both state champs. I believe in DE
Paul Burlenbach was Olympic wrestler and later middle weight boxing champ

Frank Gotch had a couple of boxing matches under his belt. I believe he had a losing record. However, since he worked with Jim Jeffries to get him in shape for Jack Johnson, Gotch was rumored to have been offered a boxing match with Johnson. Gotch rightfully declined.

Also, Mike Evans, who was a heavyweight contender from the 90's competed in Greco Roman wrestling at the Pan Am games in the late 70's and was an alternate on the '84 Olympic team. As a Boxer, I remember him losing to Michael Moorer.

"Professional boxing was banned in New York in 1900 and several of the leading heavyweight boxers turned to the mat. Jenkins wrestled and beat two of them, Peter Maher and "Sailor" Tom Sharkey. Sharkey had trained hard at wrestling and put up a valiant defense, but he was unable to stave off defeat. Jenkins and Sharkey met again in a private, no-holds-barred "match fight". Sharkey was a rugged fighter and he knocked Jenkins out cold as the wrestler closed in for a lock-up."